Posted on 12/12/2003 12:22:11 AM PST by yonif
A dropout-prevention counselor at a North Carolina high school has been suspended for reportedly sharing Scripture with a student who was struggling with homosexuality.
Beth Pinto, 38, was suspended with pay from Concord High School in Cabarrus County pending an investigation into whether she gave the student religious advice.
Citing sources familiar with the situation, the Independent Tribune reports a female student came to Pinto and said she was wrestling with the issue of homosexuality. The girl asked Pinto, who is active in First Baptist Church in Concord, N.C., for the Bible's take on the matter. Pinto reportedly responded by sharing specific Scripture with the girl.
According to the local paper, a third person caught wind of the conversation and tipped off a school administrator.
"School staff are to remain neutral in religious matters," school board member Grace Mynatt told the paper when asked about the case. "You can not make a school an area of religious studies."
The district's attorney, Mark Henriques, attributed the school's position on the matter to "the separation of church and state as set out in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution."
"Consistent with cases decided by the Supreme Court and other federal courts, the Cabarrus County Schools do not allow their employees to advocate personal religious beliefs in the classroom or in their interactions with students at school," Henriques said in a press release.
Critics of this increasingly prevalent zero-tolerance stance on the part of public schools across the country argue the Constitution is being misconstrued and that officials, attorneys – even judges – fail to note the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment of the Constitution, which provides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" also reads "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Pinto's peers weren't happy about her suspension and staged a protest earlier in the week by forming a circle outside the school and holding hands, according to the Tribune.
Yeah.
But she should have just given the gal a few packets of condoms instead.
We can't have no reeligiss proserletizin' at skewl!
Wanted the Bible's "take" on the matter. And this poor girl got "snake oil" rammed down her throat by an "evangelical." There needs to be laws against this...[/does the sarcasm really have to be taken off?]
The sheer STUPIDITY of that comment amazes me.
There needs to be laws against this...[/does the sarcasm really have to be taken off?]
No. SCOTUS has repeatedly held that the BoR is still in effect on school grounds. But it might not be long before justices O'Conner/Breyer/Souter/Stevens/Ginsberg will reverse that.
BTW, from an article back in May about that church
McGill Baptist Church, meanwhile, has grown throughout the controversy, Ayers said.Seems a lot of people want their ears tickled with words that make them feel good instead of the word of Christ. Love of God is shown through following His commandments, of which not being a sodomite is one."I'm just very proud of the congregation," he said. "We went through congregational meetings and discussed this issue thoroughly in Sunday School classes. The congregation had really come to the point of what was more important, and what was more important to them was the love of God."
The district's attorney, Mark Henriques, attributed the school's position on the matter to "the separation of church and state as set out in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
Really Mr. Henriques? I can't actually find the words 'separation of church and state' as written in the Constitution anywhere
NC ping.
You and me against Leviathan, Ed :-).
This situation also raises a question about the girl's education level: If she wanted to know what the Bible says about homosexuality, why couldn't she open a Bible in a bookstore or library, look in the concordance, and read it herself? Or do an Internet search ... aren't the schools supposed to be teaching kids to use the Web, now that they've given up teaching reading, writing, and math (those outdated skills)?
Just a little side issue, I know ... what she really wanted was for someone to tell her she didn't have to buy into the pagan religious propaganda that's offered in the school. My advice to a girl who was unhappy and confused about sex would be to read some books, do some yardwork, take up pistol shooting or pole vaulting ... and stop worrying and wait to grow up, normal.
Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists: The Final Letter, as Sent
To messers. Nehemiah Dodge, Ephraim Robbins, & Stephen S. Nelson, a committee of the Danbury Baptist association in the state of Connecticut.
Gentlemen
The affectionate sentiments of esteem and approbation which you are so good as to express towards me, on behalf of the Danbury Baptist association, give me the highest satisfaction. my duties dictate a faithful and zealous pursuit of the interests of my constituents, & in proportion as they are persuaded of my fidelity to those duties, the discharge of them becomes more and more pleasing.
Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.
I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection & blessing of the common father and creator of man, and tender you for yourselves & your religious association, assurances of my high respect & esteem.
Th Jefferson
Jan. 1. 1802.
'A Wall of Separation': FBI Helps Restore Jefferson's Obliterated Draft
The above link is an interesting discussion of the above letter.
My understanding is that the query placed in the letter from the Danbury Baptists is whether the newly formed United States would establish an official religion, as England had done with the Anglican church, which was also then the predominant denomination here.
After this week I thought we were free to disregard the First Amendment!
MKM
Whether it is or not, and I believe it is, the counselor was perfectly within her rights if the story is as stated.
Had the girl asked me for the Biblical "take on the matter", I would have provided it. And I could have discussed it at length from the Biblical viewpoint. And I'm not remotely evangelical. It seems to me the counselor was simply providing requested information.
If the story is as stated the counselor should be reinstated immediately.
And it isn't; see for yourself:
THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
Amendments to the Constitution
The 1st Amendment covers it with the establishment clause.
But, I agree with you, the counselor was not out of bounds at all.
Freedom of religion doesn't mean freedom from ever hearing of religion!
Have a great weekend, and may you & yours have a merry Christmas.
An important, but forgotten portion of that famous phrase with special emphasis.....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.